Shoe heel



y 1,1935. .1. F. ESTERSON 2,002,087 .0

SHOE HEEL Filed July 17, 1931 1 1 6?. INVENTOR.

aim? ilJZeJ'Ja/z ATTORNEY.

Patented May 2 1, 19 35 PATENT omclzf snoE HEEL,

JackF. Esterson, Baltimore, Md. I Application July 17, 193 Serial No;551,450

2 Claims. (o1; 36-1-36) My inventionrelates generally to shoe heels tothe permanent heel portion l.

landhas particular reference to heels which are formed in two portions,detachably secured'together by interengaging members on the saidportions."

.One object of my invention is to provide an improved means whereby thewearing portion of. the shoe heel can be quickly andeasily-detached andreplaced by another wearing "portion without the use of nails, pegs orsimilardevices andwithout the necessity for the services ofa shoemaker.I v j I I further object of my invention is to zpro- .vide' aconstruction which is of simplified character, inexpensive tomanufacture and easier 'to attach or detach than prior-constructions; 1I have achieved'the.foregoingobjects, ,and such other objects as mayhereinafter :appear or be'pointed out,'; in the manner illustrativelyexemplified in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a shoe heel provided withattachment plates constructed in accordance with one embodiment of myinvention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a shoe heel provided withattachment plates constructed in accordance with another embodiment ofmy invention, and

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a shoe heel provided withattachment plates constructed in accordance with still anotherembodiment of my invention.

The heel comprises a portion I which is permanently attached to the shoeand a detachable portion or lift 2. Permanently secured to each of theseportions is a thin sheet metal attachment plate, these plates beingdesignated in the drawing by the reference numerals 3 and 4. The plate 3in accordance with my invention is secured to the permanent heel portionl by means of a single screw 5 and the plate 3 is provided with turneddown flanges 6 in order to prevent rotation of the plate 3 with respectThe flanges 6 incidentally provide a means for preventing the curling orpeeling of the breasting lining 1. The plate 4 may be secured to thedetachable heel portion 2 by nails 8 or other suitable fastening means.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure l, the platesconform tothe heel and lift both in shape and in size. The plate 3 isprovided with two integral flanges 9 bent up from the plate along thecurved edge thereof and a the plate 3 in such-manner that the flanges 9are permitted to enter the recesses ll with the forward straight edge l2of the plate 4resting on the upper'edge 'of the flange I0. A slightpressure is 'then appliedto the parts in a direction to force singleintegral flange Ill be t upfrom the plate along the" forwardstraightredge thereof." The plate 4 is providedwith two recesses l I cutinto the curvededge of the plate, the location, and

dimensions of these recesses being such thatthey 5 are adapted toreceive with a snug fit the flanges Softhe plate 3.

A In order to attach the lift 2 of the heel to the main bodyportion I,.the plate 4 is engaged with the plates together, whereupon the flangeI0, be- 15 ing resilient, will yield to permit the edge [2 of theplate-A to, snap into position with the adjacent faces; of: the platesinmutual contact. To facilitate the attachment of the plates,- thestraight edge l2 of the plate 4 may be slightly beveled. Due totheinherent resiliency of the flanges 9 and ID the plates are lockedtogether against accidental disconnection. However, should it be desiredto remove the lift, all that is necessary is to insert the blade of aknife or a similar instrumentality between the plates to pry them apart.To facilitate this, the plate 4 may be provided with notches [3 alongthe edge 12.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 2 the plates areconsiderably smaller than the heel or heel lift and are trapezoidal inform, the side edges of the plates converging towards the rear of theheel. The plate 3 has its side edges l5 slightly turned up and spacedapart a short distance from the permanent heel portion l. Adjacent toits forward edge and between its side edges the plate 3 is provided witha hump Hi. The plate 4 is seated within a depression l1 formed in theheel lift and has inturned side flanges l8 which provide channels forreceiving the side edges l5 of the plate 3. Preferably, the flanges I 8taper from the forward edge of the plate to the rearward edge thereof.The plate 3 also has at its rear edge an inturned flange [9. In theplate 4, at a point between the side edges and at an appropriatedistance from the forward straight edge an opening 20 is provided forreceiving the hump IS on the plate 3 in order to prevent the accidentaldisconnection of the heel lift from the main body portion.

To connect the plates, the plate 4 is engaged with the plate 3 in such amanner that the rear portion of the plate 3 is disposed in advance ofthe forward edge of the plate 4. The plate 3 is now moved rearwardlyover the plate 4 and the edges l5 of the plate 3 engage in the channelsformed by the flanges l8 until the hump l6 clicks into the opening 20.The flange l9 serves as a stop to prevent further relative movement ofthe plates.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 3 the plates aregenerally of the same configuration as the plates of Figure 2 and thesize with respect to the heel is in the same proportion as in Figure 2.The plate 3 is provided with an upstanding flange 2| at the forward edgethereof and a similar flange 22 at the rear edge thereof. formed in thelift and is provided with side flanges 24. In this form of my inventionthe flanges 2| and 22 of the plate 3 engage the for, ward and rearedges, respectively, of the plate 4,

while the side flanges 24 of the plate-4engage the corresponding sideedges 25 of the plate 3. The

depression 23 is extended slightly beyond the rear edge of the plate 4to leave-a narrow space 26 for the reception of the flange 22. To insurea firm gripping engagement between the flanges of each plate and thecorrespondingedges of the other plate, the flanges are slightly turnedin as illustrated in Figure 3.

To attachthe plates, one is superimposed upon the other with the rearflange 22' of plate 3- engaged in the narrow' space 26v and with thefor.-

ward edge of plate 4 restingupon the flange zl.

'A slight pressure is then applied to force the plates togetherwhereupon the flanges 2i and 22 will yield to permit the plate 4 to snapinto place. From the foregoing description it be evi- :dent that I haveprovided an improved means for detachably connecting a heel lift tothe-main body portion of a heel, the constructionafiording securityagainst accidental separation of the parts yet permitting easy and quickseparation The plate 4 is seated in a depression 23 said :detachableportion.

when required. It will be observed that in the embodiments of Figures 2and 3 the plates are concealed when the lift is attached to the mainheel portion.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purposeof my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claims, anymodified forms of structure oruse of mechanical equivalents, which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to ed to engage the respectiveside edges of theotherxplate, said, other-plate having end flanges adapted to en age therespective end edges of the said first mentioned. plate, the plate onthe detachable portion being mounted in said depression and saiddepressicn being-equal to the combined thicknesses of said plates.

.1 2. A'heel for footwear comprising amain'body portion and a detachableportion, a plate permanentlyj secured to each. of'said portions andextending within threeedgesof'said portions, one of said plates havingside flanges adapted to engage the respective. side edges of the otherplate, said other plate having end flanges adapted to engage therespective end edges of the said first mentioned plate, the plate.secured tothe detachable portion being seated in a depression formed inJACK F. ESTERSON.

